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Project S.P.E.A.K. Advisory Board Meeting

16 May 2011

Those in attendance were Dr. Al Cade, Project Director/Principal Investigator; Ms. Peggy Day, Project Coordinator; Dr. Andrea Hellman, Research Assoc., Asst. Professor-TESOL; Mrs. Deborah Swarens, Asst. Supt, Carthage R-IX; Mrs. Alma Stipp, Asst. Supt, Neosho R-V; Mr. Lyle Sparkman, Asst. Supt, East Newton R-VI; Ms. Julie Germann, Asst. Supt-Monett R-1; Mrs. Jennifer Shackles, Instructional Specialist, MO-MELL Program; Ms. Jill LeCompte, Director of Educational Programs, Cassville R-IV; and Michelle Price, TESOL Secretary.

I. Welcome and Introductions by Dr. Cade

Dr. Cade began the meeting by thanking the board members for their attendance during this busy time of year in their districts.

Dr. Cade recognized Ms. Julie Germann, Asst. Superintendent, Monett R-1, and thanked her for her support and involvement in the Project S.P.E.A.K. program. Ms. Germann is retiring from the Monett R-1 District.

II. Approval of Minutes: January 24th, 2011 (Minutes provided)

A motion to accept the January 24th minutes was made by Mr. Lyle Sparkman, Asst. Superintendent, East Newton, R-VI, and seconded by Mrs. Jennifer Shackles, Instructional Specialist, MO-MELL Program. The motion passed unanimously.

A folder containing various handouts was provided for the board members.

III. Updates

A. Participants and Completers (Handout provided)
This handout reports that there are 110 overall participants, including program completers.
At the end of the spring 2011 semester, there will be a total of 18 pre-service and 38 in-service completers.
Dr. Cade explained that if there are teachers in the districts that want to enter the S.P.E.A.K. program, they should begin courses this summer in order to complete the program before the expiration of the grant.
Dr. Cade expressed thanks for the districts’ support throughout the grant program.

B. Summer Enrollment:
The following courses will be offered for the summer semester:
Educ #380-Theories of Teaching English as a Second Language
Educ #480-Methods & Techniques for TESOL
Educ #422-Content Area Literacy: Secondary and
Educ #482-Practicum for TESOL
There are a total of 33 participants enrolled in summer courses.

C. Summer Practicum Placements:
Ms. Day reported that there will be two practicum pre-service students placed in Joplin R-8; one in Monett R-1, and two in Carthage R-IX, for the summer semester.
The in-service teachers will be completing their practicums with their own districts.

D. Fall courses:
Educ #381-Teaching in a Multicultural Society
Educ #387-Grammar for Pedagogical Purposes
Educ #422-Content Area Literacy: Secondary; and
Educ #482-Practicum for TESOL
Dr. Cade announced that we anticipate another ten completers at the end of the fall 2011 semester.

E. Fall workshop dates are: September 19th and October 24th
Both workshops will be held at the Southwest Center in Webb City, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Workshop topics have not been decided at this time.
Several suggestions were discussed including: data-based instructional decision making; instruction on WIDA standards; designing language objectives with the WIDA standards.
Ms. Day asked the board to forward any additional ideas they may have for consideration.

F. Workshops: Spring Workshop Evaluations (Handout provided)
The evaluation summaries for the March 14th and April 18th workshops were provided with the handouts.
As in the past, the workshops were well attended and the results were favorable.
Upon a request by Ms. Swarens, a copy of the March 14th workshop evaluation will be forwarded to presenter Dr. Rosie Garcia-Belina.

G. Project S.P.E.A.K. Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 3 (Newsletter provided)
Dr. Cade referred to the current Project S.P.E.A.K. newsletter prepared by Ms. Day.
He announced that the MSSU website is currently being updated and re-designed.
The newsletter is accessible from the website.
Dr. Cade referred to the newsletter announcement of Alexandra Reed, a S.P.E.A.K. completer, as this year’s Outstanding Graduate. Ms. Reed has expressed a desire to pursue a doctorate degree in the TESOL area.
She will begin teaching in the fall for the Neosho R-V district.
The newsletter also reports that Dr. Hellman has been chosen to serve on the international Editorial Team of the Canadian Center of Science and Education journal, English Language and Literature Studies.

IV. Jennifer Shackles: Update on MO-MELL
Mrs. Shackles announced that the MO-MELL conference this year will be held November 16-18th. The event will be held at The Chateau in Branson, Missouri.
The agenda has not been finalized.
Dr. Hellman inquired about a call for proposals for the conference.
Mrs. Shackles answered not at this time; however, anyone who may want to present at the conference should contact her.
Previous presenters who have received favorable evaluations will be invited to present at this conference.
A handout issued by the WIDA Consortium and MetriTech, Inc. was distributed that introduces free services available to districts through MetriTech, Inc.
A memo issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education was provided to clarify issues on equal educational opportunities to all children in compliance with federal law.
An additional report was distributed from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to clarify the proper exit procedure for ELLs. Initial reports may have contained incorrect information. Mrs. Shackles recommended the districts use this document as a guide.
Mrs. Shackles reported that she intends to post updated documents online.

V. NPD Grant Proposal: Dr. Andrea Hellman
Dr. Hellman began by thanking the districts for their letters of support that were submitted with the new grant proposal, MODEL-Making a Difference for English Learners in Missouri.
Dr. Hellman stated that the MODEL project uses the U.S. Department of Education GPRA measures for accountability. There were many stipulations and congressional mandates that had to be addressed to become eligible for this grant.
Dr. Hellman explained that the grant proposal was based on careful consideration of the research literature. After examining the research, it was clear that there needs to be a more comprehensive approach; a district-wide engagement and responsibility for English Language Learners, (ELLs).
The overall goal of the project is to raise the academic achievement of ELLs. This would include making curricular changes and providing high quality ESL training to classroom teachers through TESOL coursework, workshops, seminars, and clinical experiences. In addition, there will be two instructional coaches that would work directly with the districts.
The project would produce 45 Pre-Service and 75 In-Service teachers that would complete the program over three cohorts.
Dr. Hellman reported that an assessment of the districts’ standards for hiring, placing, and retaining teachers who work directly with ELLs would be made to ensure that those students have access to highly qualified personnel.
Dr. Cade added that in the proposal, the first year would be considered a planning year; grant funds would not be used during that period. In addition, there would not be any matching funds requirement for the new grant.
The project focuses mainly on three high-need districts: Monett R-1, Carthage R-IX, and Neosho R-V. These districts continue to have growing numbers of ELLs. However, Ms. Day emphasized that the TESOL courses and professional development opportunities will still be available through grant funds to the original participating districts. The options remain if there are teachers in those districts who want to enter the program.
Grant awards should be announced by mid-July.

VI. Participating Districts
1. Baseline Data for 2010-2011 School Year:
Ms. Day reported that she will be electronically sending the form for baseline data so it can be completed and returned to her when the data becomes available.

2. Meeting Day and time for 2011-2012
The board agreed that Mondays at noon are still a good time for future meetings.
A schedule will be forwarded to them once the dates have been confirmed.

3. Questions, Comments, Closing
Ms. Germann will provide contact information to Ms. Day for her replacement, Mr. Brad Hanson.
Ms. Day announced that the Neosho R-V district was recently awarded the 2011 Commissioner’s Award for High Quality Professional Development award.
Dr. Cade expressed his thanks to Mrs. Stipp for the two teachers from Neosho R-V that recently came to speak to our student teachers. The discussion from the students that followed was favorable.
 
Dr. Cade also thanked Mrs. Swarens for speaking at the Teacher Education Council and Conceptual Framework Committee meeting held May 10th, 2011.


The meeting was adjourned.

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